The Zongo community of the Bawku West District in the Upper East Region has criticised the district authorities for their laissez-faire attitude towards ending the longstanding dispute between the community and the Chinese Rich Mining Company Limited.
The residents petitioned the Regional Minister to suspend mining operations of the Chinese in the area in June, but recent developments indicate that nothing has been done to solve the dispute.
On Tuesday, residents stormed the office of the company and burned down their equipment.
Twenty-four of the residents were arrested and three have been granted bail.
A spokesperson of the community, Mr Daniel Atampuri alleged in an interview with Citi News that the police did not inform them of the charge for which they were arrested.
However, the Bawku Divisional Police Commander dismissed the claim with the explanation that “they [suspects] burned down six vehicles of the company and were arrested yet they still don’t know why we arrested them. I am very surprised at their behaviour.”
Currently, at least 21 people are in police custody pending a court hearing on July 31 at the Bawku High Court.
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